Ultimate Guide to Wiring: Complete Projects for the Home provides homeowners with all the information they need to understand the workings of their home electrical system. With projects and information to serve the novice, the savvy do-it-yourselfer, or the homeowner planning to work with a professional electrician, this is the ultimate home reference for wiring and electricity. Ultimate Guide to Wiring is able to convey a wide range of concepts and details with easy-to-understand text and step-by-step instructions. Hundreds of color photographs of close-up views serve as a guide from start to finish. Projects cover a realm of subjects and are rated for difficulty.

Table of Contents for Ultimate Guide to Wiring: Complete Projects for the Home

Ultimate Guide to Wiring

Table of Contents

About this Book...6

UNDERSTANDING ELECTRICITY...8
Fundamentals of Electricity...9
• Electricity Defined
• Terminology of Electricity
How Electricity Is Provided...12
• Generation
• Transmission
• Point of Use
• Service Entrance Panel
How Electricity Works...18
• Electric Current Flow
• Flow Resistance
Working Safely with Electricity...19
• Basic Rules of Safety
• Short Circuits
• Grounding
• Overload Protection
• Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI)
Grounding Systems...21
• Main Panel Ground
• Grounding Rods
• Equipment Grounding
• Testing
• Bonding Jumpers

TOOLS & THEIR USES...26
Pulling Wires and Fuses...27
Cutting and Twisting Wires...28
Stripping and Crimping Wires...29
Connecting, Supporting, and
Protecting Wires...30
Locating, Measuring, and Marking...35
Hole-Making, Cutting, and Striking...35
Working with Conduit...37
Testing Circuits...38
Safety...39

MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT...40
Wires and Cables...41
• Types and Designations
• Color-Coding
• Insulation Categories
• Wire Ampacity
• Armored Cable
• Nonmetallic Cable
• Underground Feeder Cable
Service Panels...48
• Types and How They Work
• Hot Buses
• Neutral/Grounding Buses
• Installation
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...52
• Fuses
• Fuse Overload
• Short Circuits and Ground Faults
• Testing
• Circuit Breakers
• Breaker Types
• Limits
Electrical Boxes...56
• Types and Capacities
• Plastic Boxes
• Metal Boxes
• Weatherproof Boxes
• Special Boxes • Box Extensions
• Mounting Brackets
Receptacles...61
• Duplex Receptacles
• Nongrounded Receptacles
• Appliance Recepta
• Isolated Ground and GFCI Receptacles
Switches...63
• Types and Designations
• Toggle Switches
• Dimmer Switches
• Pilot-Light Switches
• Timer Switches
• Electronic Switches
Low-Voltage Transformers...65
• Types and Applications
Raceways and Conduit...65
• Raceway Applications
• Raceway Components
• Conduit Types and Applications
• Conduit Components

WIRING METHODS...68
Basic Circuitry...69
• Charting Circuits
• Designing a Wiring Plan
• Creating a Plan
• Calculating Circuit Ampacity
Basic Wiring...74
• Height and Clearance Requirements
• Installing Electrical Boxes
• Creating New Circuits
• Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters
• Surface Wiring
• Running Cable Through Framing
• Opening and Closing Walls
• Fishing Cable
Receptacles...93
• Duplex Receptacles
• Split Circuit Receptacles
• Switch/Receptacle Combinations
• High-Voltage Receptacles
• GFCI Receptacles
Switches...108
• Single-Pole Switches
• Three-Way Switches
• Four-Way Switches
• Dimmer Switches Plugs, Cords, and Sockets...119
• Standard Plugs
• Lamp and Appliance Cords
• Light Sockets and Switches
• Multisocket Switches

FIXTURES, APPLIANCES & EQUIPMENT...126
Lighting Fixtures...127
• Incandescent
• Fluorescent
• Quartz Halogen
• Recessed
• Surface-Mounted
• Track-Mounted
• Chandeliers
• Vanity Lighting
• Under-Cabinet
Lighting Appliances...154
• Dishwasher
• Range Receptacle
• Dryer Receptacle
• Waste-Disposal Unit
Ventilating and Heating Equipment...161
• Ceiling Fans
• Whole-House Fans
• Tips on Using Whole-House Fans
• Range Hood
• Radiant Floor Heating
• Baseboard Heating
• Recessed Wall Heater
• Safety Equipment...177
• Hardwired Smoke Detec
• Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Specialty Wiring...180
Low Voltage Power...181
• What It Is and How It Works
• Low-Voltage Transformers
• Low-Voltage Wire
Wiring Applications...184
• Bells and Chimes
• Timers
• Sensors and Alarms
• Thermostats
• Antennas
• Telecommunications

Outdoor Wiring & Low-Voltage Lighting...198
What Makes It Different...199
• Circuiting
• Weatherproofing
Materials and Equipment...201
• Outdoor Electrical Boxes
• Receptacles and Switches
• Conduit, Connectors, and Fittings
• Lamps and Yard Lights
• Sensors and Timers
Wiring Preparation...210
• Planning
• Extending Service
• Trenching
Outdoor Wiring Methods...215
• Receptacles
• Switches
• Lights
• Creating Low-Voltage Lighting Designs
• Low-Voltage Lighting
Swimming Pools and Spas...224
• Code Requirements
• Aboveground Swimming Pools
• Installing a Spa
• Installing a Spa Disconnect
• Underwater Pool Lighting

EMERGENCY POWER EQUIPMENT...234
Lightning Protection...212
• Understanding Lightning
• Lightning Rods
• Lightning Protection Systems
Surge Protection...241
• Electrical Surges
• Whole-House Protection
• Point-of-Use Protection
• Grounding
Optional Standby Generators...244
• What They Are and How They Work
• Selection
• Placement and Hookup

HOME AUTOMATION...252
Smart Home Basics...253
• Power Line Carrier Control
• Timer Control
• Computer Control
• Wireless Remote Control
• Home Networking
• Surge Control
Data Transmission Standards...256
• Design Protocols
• X-10
• CEBus
• LonWorks
• Smart House
Uses for Home Automation...258
• Lighting Systems and Appliances
• Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
• Plum
• Home Security
• Entertainment Systems
• Telecommunications and Networking
• Outdoor Systems
X-10 Projects...262
• Lighting Controls
• Sprinkler System
• Voice-Dial Home Security System
Home Networking...272
• Structured Cabling
• Making Connections
• Structured Cabling Outlets
• Structured Media Center

Resource Guide...276

Glossary...278

Index...282

Metric Equivalents...287

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